Daughter of a Potion Master
by ninjaangelprincess
Summary: A girl's journey to find out a secret that's been kept from her her entire life in the hopes of helping her family. Rated M for some violent scenes. adventure/romance with some family based chapters, most of which seem to have turned partly violent so far
1. Obvious Occurence

Disclaimer: all characters and people save for my Ocs are property of J. K. Rowling.

Daughter of a Potions Master

01-Obvious Occurrence

"I'm not surprised at all Alexis," old Mr. Ollivander smiles at his daughter. "I'd be surprised if our sweet little Alexandra hadn't been accepted to Hogwarts."

"I know father," Alexis sighs and pushes back a stand of her dark brown hair. "I just worry about her."

"The girl can take care of herself and you know that Lex," a woman says as she enters Ollivander's wand store.

Alexis turns and smiles at her best friend, Hogwarts Herbology professor Pomona Sprout. "Pomona! It's good to see you!"

"Now Alexis, why are you worried about Alexandra attending Hogwarts? The girl's eleven years old and capable of matching your potion-making skills flawlessly. Not to mention that you made it a point to teach her Defense Against the Dark Arts. You got the Ministry to approve letting her own her own wand since she was seven. She's been helping you at your potions store since before then and she's capable of waiting on a Dark Wizard without getting scared at all."

Truthfully, Pomona was merely stating what Alexis already knew about her daughter. Although, she hated to admit that the girl was overly observant and a quick learner. Alexandra had grown up watching Alexis make potions for Wizards and Witches from both Diagon and Nocturn Alleys. What a shock for whoever that current potions professor at Hogwarts that a First year student already had the skills of a Potions Master! Ha! Alexis smiles evilly at her father and Pomona. Defense Against the Dark Arts, another slap in the face for a professor at her former school.

"Pomona," Alexis looks at her friend and motions to the door, "care to spend the day with us?"

"Of course," Pomona nods as the bid Ollivander goodbye. "She'll be thrilled to know she'll have me as a teacher."

"Yes," Alexis smiles sadly. "I just hope she won't try to find out anything she shouldn't know." And with that statement, the conversation turned to Hogwarts and current going-ons within the old castle.


	2. Sword and School

02 – Sword and School

"A-alexandra, what are you- oh-"Alexis faints at the sight of her daughter teaching herself how to sword fight in their backyard after having arrived home to find that the doors to _Alex's Potion Emporium_ were still locked.

Alexandra shakes her head as she follows Pomona inside. Alexandra gets a Revitalizing Potion for her mother while Pomona, who is more of an aunt to the girl than just her mother's best friend, scolds her for the use of a sword.

"I don't see why it matters," the black eyed girl snorts defiantly, the black hair framing her face emphasizing the look on her face. "There's nothing wrong with it. I've been teaching myself to swordfight since last Christmas."

Alexandra looks outside at the snow falling once again and Pomona follows her gaze. Alexandra was nine when Pomona had gotten her the English Longsword. It had been difficult to convince Alexis of the idea that sword fighting would help Alexandra to control her occasional fits of violence. Alexis had finally agreed to the idea but had once again ended up depressing herself more so than normal. Pomona had gotten the blade engraved with Alexandra's name for the Christmas that had just passed. Now it was January first and Alexandra's eleventh birthday.

"You know how your mother is Alexandra," Pomona sighs as Alexis wakes up, Alexandra's Longsword hidden in its case beneath the couch. "Anyway, there's a letter on the table for you."

"I got accepted to Hogwarts', didn't I?" there's Alexandra's overly observant nature again. Although Pomona supposed the girl had developed the habit so she could tell when Alexis would have an emotional breakdown, she had to admit that it made it difficult to surprise the girl.

"Yes, and Pomona will be one of your teachers Alex," Alexis mutters as she sits up, still a bit groggy from fainting earlier. "I'm so proud of my little girl."

Alexandra flushes and looks expectantly at the door that connects their house to their potion store as if begging the wards on the doors to announce the arrival of customers. She had opened the store when she had gotten the potion for Alexis.

"I'll go watch the store mum,"Alexandra stammers and heads into the store just as the wards on the Nocturn Alley side start going off.

Alex goes to follow her daughter but Pomona stuns her friend before she can even leave the couch. "You need to rest and calm down Alexis."


	3. Autograph

Author's Notes:

In case anyone wanted to know, I don't know how much of this will be canon. Most of the events specific to the Golden Trio will probably be but I don't know yet.

03- _Alex's Potion Emporium_

"I'll have your order of Veritaserum ready in one minute, sir," Alexandra calls to the Wizard at the counter as she finishes packaging the last few vials of it.

Funny, Alexandra could never, and would never for that matter, understand why people would but potions rather than make them themselves but she was thankful for it none the less. She shrugs and carries the box of Veritaserum to the counter.

"Ten gold Galleons, sir," Alexandra informs her customer as she flips to a page in a black binder.

Alexandra kept a list of everyone she made potions for, an odd habit but an interesting one. She had signatures from everyone from her grandfather Ollivander to the Minister of Magic himself, not to mention a few from members of the Potions Guild. Alexandra instantly recognizes her customer as he pays and she hands him a quill to sign the page for Veritaserum.

"Sign here please," she says, trying to be polite and not gawk at the Potions Master before her, Hogwarts' Potions professor Severus Snape.

"There," Snape snarls and shoves the quill back towards Alexandra, apparently in a rather foul mood.

"You have to sign another page as well," Alexandra flips to the section of the binder with profiles on the more prominent member of the Potions Guild, a surprisingly mature tone in her voice as she boldly blocks the man's path, a quill in her hand.

"An autograph?" the Potions Master raises an eyebrow and Alexandra nods, a determined look in her black eyes despite the harsh tone of the man's voice. "Fine," he gives Alexandra the box of Veritaserum vials and takes the binder and quill again, signing his name with a sigh before returning the binder and quill, taking his purchase, and leaving.

Alexandra calls out a 'thank you' before bouncing back behind the counter happily.


	4. Blade

Author's notes:

This is about how much of this will be canon. I think it'll be canon until some part of Book 4, not sure how far into the book it'll be though.

As for reviews- I haven't gotten any. There have been 34 hits on the story and not a single review. Flame or other wise, at least one review would be appreciated so I could know what I'm either doing wrong or right with the story.

04- Blade

"That's everything mum," Alexandra smiles up at her mother. Alexis nods while Alexandra tries to decide on a name for her tawny owl. "What should I name him mum?"

"I'm not sure, something fitting," Alexis suggests.

Alexandra nods and studies her owl's features carefully as she and Alexis walk towards their home. "His beak and talons are incredibly sharp, just like blades..." the owl caws at the word. Alexis looks at the bird curiously but Alexandra catches the meaning. "You like the name 'Blade,' don't you?" Another caw from the owl. "Alright then, Blade it is."

Alexis just rolls her eyes as they return home, the owl's name holding a significance for her.

"Mum," Alexandra's voice catches Alexis' attention as she comes back downstairs. "What'll it be like at Hogwarts?"

"You'll enjoy it," Alexis smiles at her daughter. "I can't tell you much, you need to experience it for yourself."

"Meanie," Alexandra pouts playfully from her seat by the fireplace, the embers barely burning.

"I can give you this though," Alexis hands her daughter a folded-up piece of parchment, "it's a copy of a map some friends of mine made of Hogwarts when we were at school but it's not bewitched like theirs was. Don't go sneaking around at all hours of the night though, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," Alexandra hugs Alexis happily. "Thank you mum."

"You're welcome Alex," Alexis smiles as Alexandra disappears into her room and returns with the map placed securely inside her binder. "Have you gotten any famous signatures sing you got accepted to Hogwarts a few months ago?" Normally, Alexandra would have complained about not having gotten any new signatures but she hadn't said anything and had seemed far too happy as of late.

"Yupp, now I've got the signatures of two Potions Masters," Alexis pales at the statement. "See mum. Yours and Severus Alexander Snape's."

Had it not been for how happy and proud of herself for getting the signature Alexandra was, Alexis would have protested angrily but she just smiled and congratulated her daughter instead.


	5. The Meeting

05- The Meeting

"Take care and behave yourself," Alexis calls to Alexandra as she climbs onto the _Hogwarts Express_. "I want a letter from you everyday! You hear me Alex!"

Alexandra merely waves back to her mother as the warning whistle blows, intentionally ignoring her mother's shouts.

She wanders along the train trying to find a compartment after putting on her new black Hogwarts robes, eventually finding one occupied by only two people. The red-headed boy catches her questioning look and invites her in.

"Thank you," Alexandra smiles at him and his dark haired friend next to her, a lightning shaped scar visible beneath his bangs. "I'm Alexandra Ollivander."

"Ollivander? Like the wandmaker Ollivander?"

Alexandra nods to the red-head. "He's my grandfather."

"Bloody hell," the boy gasps before remembering his manners. "Name's Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter," the other boy sates. He'd seen Alexandra glance at his scar and was thankful she didn't say anything. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here," Alexandra replies. "Either of you know which house you might be sorted into?"

"I'll be killed if I don't end up in Gryffindor, my entire family has been in there," Ron says pointedly while making a beheading motion with his hands.

"I don't think you need to worry then Ron," Harry comments. "I haven't even thought about it honestly. What about you Alexandra?"

"Doesn't matter much really," Alexandra sighs. "My mum hopes I'll be in Gryffindor like she was but grandpa says not to try and end up in any one house or another and just to let the Sorting Hat do it's job."

"Good way to look at it," Ron nods in approval before changing the subject to Quidditch. Alexandra and Ron exchange looks and explain the sport to Harry, Ron going over the finer details that Alexandra feels aren't important enough for fine detail.

The train ride continues like this until the lunch trolley passes their compartment. After nearly five minutes of arguing, Ron somehow manages to get Harry and Alexandra to split the cost of buying some of everything.

"Chocolate Frogs?" Harry questions a few minutes later.

Alexandra sighs and shakes her head. "You poor, deprived thing. They're bewitched so that they seem alive but they're really just solid chocolate." She opens a bow, quickly catching the from before it can jump away and taking a bite. "See? Solid chocolate."

Harry nods before opening his own Chocolate Frog. Ron and Alexandra laugh as the frog jumps away from Harry and out the open window.

"Too bad mate," Ron chuckles. "It's the cards you want anyway. Each one's got a famous Witch or Wizard on it. I got Morgana but I've already got loads of her cards."

"I got my grandpa's finally," Alexandra smiles. "Who'd you get Harry?"

"Dumbledore," Harry answers. He's startled when the old man leaves the picture on the card. Ron and Alexandra once again explain things to him.

Alexandra no sooner gets up to inform the boys that they should put their robes on then a girl with wild, bushy brown hair bursts through the compartment door and informs the boys for her.

"And you are?" Alexandra asks rather coldly.

"Hermione Granger," the girl introduces herself before inviting herself to fix Harry's glasses. "You're Harry Potter! I've read all about you!"

Alexandra twitches slightly, one of her violent outbursts building. "Hermione, was it?" the girl nods. "Seeing as you have no manners and you think you're a know-it-all, care to introduce me and my red-headed companion while you're busy showing off? And if Harry had wanted his glasses fixed, he would've just asked if one of us knew a spell to do so," Alexandra snaps, disgust evident in her voice.

"I-um-and you two would be whom?" Hermione looks like she'd just been slapped in the face while Harry and Ron exchange looks.

"Ron Weasley," Ron introduces himself.

"Alexandra Ollivander," Alexandra holds out her hand.

"Pleasure," Hermione reluctantly shakes hands with Alexandra.

"Agreed," Alexandra nods. Sometimes being overly observant was a good thing. Knowing just how to insult people is always helpful. "We'll leave you boys to get changed now." And with that, Alexandra and Hermione leave the compartment. Hermione goes back to her own compartment further down the train while Alexandra stands guard with her back to the compartment door.

Author's Notes:

I just thought about this, things that I don't mention happened, like how Harry found Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and his shopping trip to Diagon Alley with Hagrid, still happened unless it's something that Alexandra ends up involved with.


	6. The Sorting

06- The Sorting

Alexandra, Harry, Ron, and surprisingly Hermione stand together at the base of a set of stairs in front of a set of large wooden doors. They are at Hogwarts, standing before the entrance to the Great Hall.

Alexandra nudges Harry in the ribs as a boy with blond hair approaches them, two other boys behind him.

"So it's true then," the boy sneers. "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts. This is Crabbe," he motions to the boy on his right, "and this is Goyle. And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"Pompous brat," Ron mutters and Alexandra, Harry and Hermione nod in agreement. Alexandra catches Draco sneering at Ron and moves in front of him.

"Red hair and a hand-me-down robe, you're a Weasley," Alexandra and Harry frown at Malfoy. "Tell that low-class friend of yours to keep his mouth shut. As for you Potter," Malfoy holds out his hand, "you don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort."

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks," Harry replies as he pushes Malfoy's hand away.

Alexandra joins in with Harry's game of 'insult the snot-nosed brat.' "And I think Crabbe and Goyle should listen to your advice, Malfoy, and tell their low-class friend to keep his mouth shut."

"Why you-" Alexandra smirks as an angry and embarrassed Malfoy is cut off by the doors opening.

A middle-aged woman introduces herself as Professor McGonagall. She leads the crowds of students forward and tells them to wait in line until their names are called and then to go up and sit on the stool. She begins calling out names in alphabetical order. Once a student is seated at his/her house table, the next name is called.

When Harry and Ron make a comment about Hermione being mental, Alexandra defends her by saying that she's just nervous despite the fact that Alexandra agrees with the two boys. The three of them roll their eyes when Malfoy's sorted into Slytherin before the Sorting Hat even touches his head.

"I feel bad for the members of his house," Alexandra comments and Harry nods.

"I don't," Ron disagrees. "From what my brothers have told me, they're all like that. The Slytherins, I mean. They're all like Malfoy."

"Hopefully the three of us will be in the same house," Alexandra sighs as she walks up to the stool and the Sorting Hat is placed on her head.

"What a curious mind," the Sorting Hat coos in Alexandra's ears. "Too witty for Ravenclaw and far too temperamental for Hufflepuff. That leaves only Slytherin of Gryffindor. Hmm. I'm not sure which is stronger in you: cunning and defiance or nobleness and loyalty."

"I don't care which," Alexandra whispers. "Just put me in whichever one will bring me closer to my father."

"Such a noble request," the Sorting Hat sighs. "But if that's your wish, SLYTHERIN!"

Alexandra smiles half-heartedly back at Ron and Harry as she makes her way to the Slytherin table, the ribbon holding her hair in a ponytail turning silver and green. Alexis had charmed the ribbon to change from white to the colors of whatever house Alexandra ended up in. Alexandra watches quietly as Harry is nearly sorted into Slytherin with her but ends up in Gryffindor instead, Ron goes to Gryffindor as well.

"If it isn't the mouthy one," Malfoy graces Alexandra with his acknowledgement of their sitting across from one another. "Never thought I'd see you here."

Alexandra is spared from having to find a suitable way to insult Malfoy again today when the Headmaster begins his start of term speech.


	7. Reasons Why

07- Reasons Why

Alexandra bites her bottom lip rather painfully, the urge to poison and hew her fellow Slytherins extremely tempting as she claims a spot on the stone floor near the fireplace after having fought with Pansy Parkinson over a bed. Alexandra had thought the girl's fussiness stupid and had said so to her face. Not a smart idea. As such, she got stuck with the bed closest to the door, meaning that she would get a draft from their dungeon common room whenever someone entered of left the girls' dormitory. The faintest smile possible flickers over Alexandra's face when Professor Snape enters the common room and informs them all -the Slytherin first years that is- that he is the Head of the Slytherin House as he passes out schedules. Alexandra and Snape exchange unreadable looks when he hands the girl her schedule.

Alexandra signs her name to a letter and stuffs it inside an envelope, not at all looking forward to reading her mother's response to the fact that Alexandra had gotten a detention from her Head of House before school had even begun. If it wasn't for the simple fact that Severus Bloody Snape had stood there and _let_ Malfoy start the fight, Alexandra wouldn't have so blatantly insulted the Potion Master she had been so determined to get an autographs from. Alexandra shakes off the thought as she leaves the common room and heads towards Snape's chambers farther down in the dungeons, not even the slightest bit concerned about what she might have to do during the hour of unfair punishment.

Five minutes later Alexandra is standing in front of a portrait of Salazar Slytherin, one the founders of Hogwarts, and his bet basilisk. She knocks for permission to enter but is ignored. Slytherin's basilisk hisses something to its owner and he replies back to the serpent in Parseltongue.

"Why don't you try speaking in English is you're going to talk about someone in front of them?" Alexandra snaps.

"Watch your tongue girl. At least towards your own House," Slytherin replies. "Enter."

"Thank you," Alexandra bows her head to Slytherin as his portrait swings forward. She enters the room cautiously, expecting to see the walls lined with potion ingredients. To her surprise, the room is actually well-lit and well-furnished with three closed doorways extending off the main room. "Professor?"

Snape enters through the left door and calls Alexandra inside. She follows quickly, biting back the urge to insult him again as she enters a small library that doubles as Snape's private office. Alexandra sits in the chair opposite Snape at his desk when told to do so.

"Well?" Alexandra asks, a defiant gleam in her eyes.

"Well what, Ms. Ollivander?" Snape glares at the girl.

"Why am I being punished? And what, pray tell, is my punishment?" Snape scowls when Alexandra's black eyes meet Snape's glare without flinching.

"Ms. Ollivander, you are being punished because you had the nerve to not only insult me in front of your fellow Slytherins but also to do so right to my face. And as for your punishment, I'd like you to explain why," Snape snaps. He really didn't know why the girl had the audacity to call him, famous Potion Master Severus Alexander Snape, an ignorant, blind, greasy-haired piece of filth, let alone question his skills as a Potion Master. The greasy-haired part at least he could see but the rest? He had no idea about and had spent the better portion of the hour prior to Alexandra's detention trying to figure out why.

Alexandra looks at the man thoughtfully for a moment. Horror dawns on her as she realizes exactly what she had said.

"I'm sorry Professor Snape," Alexandra mutters. "I was just angry that you had so blatantly favored Malfoy and reprimanded me when I yelled at him for insulting my family. It wasn't right and I knew you were still well within earshot to have heard what he said."

Severus doesn't seem completely satisfied by Alexandra's answer however. "That still doesn't explain your insult to me, Ms. Ollivander. I believe your exact words were 'I can't believe such an ignorant, blind, greasy-haired piece of filth is a skilled Potion Master.'"

Alexandra looks down apologetically, cheeks tinted pink with shame. "I was angry and my tongue slipped. If I had meant to insult you, sir, you'd know. Just as Malfoy of Professor Sprout better yet. She's know me my whole life. But like I said, I'm sorry Professor."

"Apology accepted only because the rest of the Slytherins, both in your year and higher, ran and hid when you insulted me. Were you not a student, I would have been honor-bound to challenge you to a duel. You do realize this don't you Ms. Ollivander?"

Alexandra lets out a nervous laugh. "I realized that when I realized what I'd said. I tend to not think about what I say when I'm like that."

"You mean before a violent outburst, Ms. Ollivander? I could see you wanted to strike Mr. Malfoy badly. And your lower lip is bleeding a bit," Severus comments. Alexandra wipes the blood from her lip and nods to the man. "Just try to keep your temper more in check next time."

"Yes sir," Severus escorts Alexandra to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin. "I'll try and convince my mum not to send you a Howler for the detention just because despite how much you try to seem like a cold-hearted jerk, you actually have a heart even if you won't admit it. My mum's got an odd hatred of you though. She refuses to tell me about it but I suppose she has her reasons. Goodnight Professor Snape."

Severus just shakes his head as he watches Alexandra walk back towards the Slytherin dungeon. The girl belonged in bloody Gryffindor, not Slytherin. But then again, Severus realizes with a sigh, she had come off with more backhanded compliments in an hour that he himself did on a good day.

Author's Note:

This is to my beta, Katester(using your nickname since you never gave me you name on here) and any of my friends who read the original version of this at school. I tweaked a couple of thngs as I was typing. I hope it didn't change things too much.


	8. Standards

08- Standards

For the most part, Alexandra's first week of classes had gone by uneventfully. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the Slytherins have all of their classes with the Gryffindors. By the end of Thursday though, Alexandra has more friends in Gryffindor than in her own Slytherin. Transfiguration class has Hermione as the best student but only because Alexandra had been helping Harry and Ron try to transfigure their matches into needles, allowing Hermione to finish and show off first. Charms class passes much the same way, Hermione being a know-it-all and completing their first charm before Alexandra can. Herbology class leaves Pomona scolding Alexandra for laughing at Malfoy when he gets bitten by a baby mandrake instead of helping him and for getting sorted into Slytherin. Astronomy is one of more boring classes in Alexandra's opinion and, to put it simply, it's a miracle that Hermione had gotten Harry, Ron, and Alexandra to wake up and stay awake for more than five minutes in History of Magic.

Friday morning comes and Alexandra joins Harry and Ron for breakfast at the Slytherin table. No one objects to her sitting there, save Hermione complaining about how Alexandra should be sitting with her own house, and she's actually welcomed there, unlike at the Slytherin table.

"Hey Alexandra," said black haired girl looks over at Seamus Finnigan and stifles a laugh. His eye brows are still growing back from Charms class the other day. "What was Professor Sprout yelling at you about yesterday?"

"It's nothing really Seamus. She was just mad that I got put in Slytherin instead of either Gryffindor like mum of Hufflepuff like her," Alexandra shrugs as Blade lands on her shoulder. "Welcome back Blade. Hey!" Blade snatches a piece of bacon from Alexandra's plate before dropping a letter onto her lap. "Spiteful owl," Alexandra mutters, laughter in her eyes and voice.

"He's just showing off for Hedwig, right Harry?" Dean Thomas motions to the snowy white owl on Harry's shoulder.

"Who knows," Harry sighs. "We've got double Potions with your House today Alexandra."

"Hopefully it'll be better than Defense Against the Dark Arts was yesterday," Ron mutters darkly.

"I thought Professor Quirrell's lecture was rather informative actually."

"Informative for a two year old maybe," Alexandra snorts. "My mum's a Potion Master and she could teach that class better than Professor Quirrell ever could if she wanted to, Hermione."

Hermione 'hmphs' and Alexandra rolls her eyes as they leave the Great Hall. Alexandra caches most of her Slytherin year mates looking at her like she's insane. She shrugs it off and leads the way to the dungeon their Potions class would be held in.

"Ms. Ollivander, why are you sitting with the Gryffindors instead of your fellow Slytherins?" Alexandra looks at Professor Snape curiously, her head tilted cutely to one side.

Alexandra and the Gryffindors, minus a scowling Hermione, smirk at one another as Snape storms to his desk and begins taking roll. Alexandra looks around Ron to try and give Harry a silent warning that he had a proverbial bull's-eye on his head. Alexandra had glimpsed the same unreadable look on Snape's face when he called Harry's name as she and Snape had exchanged that first night in the castle: the look saying you were going to make someone's life a living hell.

Alexandra tones out most of Snape's opening lecture, only appearing to pay attention and rolling her eyes when Snape call the class a bunch of dunderheads. Her mother had given a similar lecture the last- and only- time she had attempted to hire extra help at their store.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter," what do you get when you add powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asks.

Harry shakes his head in response, unable to remove the proverbial bull's-eye Snape had placed his head.

"Pity. Where would I find a bezoar?"

Again Harry can't answer Snape's question. Alexandra looks at Harry bewildered while trying not to glare at Hermione for having her hand in the air.

"Let's try again," Snape growls, losing his patience quickly. "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfbane?"

"I don't know sir," Harry meets Snape's glare this time. "Why don't you try asking either Hermione or Alexandra? They seem to know."

"Put your hand down girl," Snape snaps at Hermione. "And that's ten points from Gryffindor for you cheek, Potter. Now, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion known as the Draught of the Living Death. A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat that can save you from most poisons. Monkshood and wolfbane are the same plant, also known as aconite. Well? Is Ms. Ollivander the only one smart enough to take notes without being prompted to do so?"

The rest of the first half of the class is spent taking notes before Snape decides that they'll be making a simple cure for boils as their first potion. Alexandra pairs up with Hermione for better or worse.

"You mentioned that your mother's a Potion Master earlier," Alexandra catches Hermione's unasked question and nods. "As long as we get perfect marks, you're in charge in this class."

"Right," Alexandra sighs. "So long as you find a way to keep me awake in Binns' class," Hermione nods and the two of them set about preparing potion ingredients, Hermione trying to ignore Alexandra's tricks that don't make the directions on the chalkboard perfectly.

Hermione gives Alexandra a curious look when the girl wrinkles her nose and looks around a few minutes later.

"The one working with Seamus," Alexandra motions to the pair while adding something to their cauldron, "what's his name?"

"Neville Longbottom. Wh-"

"Neville, don't add those yet!" Alexandra hisses at the Gryffindor. Too late. "Everyone up on your stools quick!"

Seamus and Neville's potion explodes and their cauldron melts into a twisted hunk of metal. The failed potion covers the floor, anyone nearby who either hadn't heard or listened to Alexandra's warning getting painful blisters and boils on their feet as the potion burns through their shoes.

"Idiots," Snape growls as he siphons away the potion with his wand wile directing those injured up to the infirmary. Harry makes the mistake of letting out a barely audible laugh that, unfortunately, Snape hears. "Think it's funny, do you, Potter? That's another ten points from Gryffindor. And ten points for slytherin because Ms. Ollivander gave everyone a warning after trying to prevent Longbottom's mistake. Now, everyone back to work."

"How'd you know?" Hermione asks in a whisper.

Alexandra shrugs in response. "Not sure. I grew up helping my mum in our potion store so I guess it's sort of, well, natural for me. The scent from the cauldron wasn't right for that to be added. Porcupine quills can't be added until after the cauldron is removed from the fire," Alexandra adds when Hermione furrows her eyebrows.

"I'm not about to question you on it," Hermione shrugs. She and Alexandra hadn't exactly gotten off on a good note but the two had at least earned one another's respect over the course of the week.

They stop their conversation on Defense Against the Dark Arts when Snape passes by them, a reluctant approving look on his face as he gazes at the contents of their cauldron.

--

Alexandra flips through a few pages of _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ as she sits in Professor Snape's office for another detention. But at least she has company this time. Crabbe and Goyle had ruined their potion far worse than Neville and Seamus had and their punishment, far less severe than it would have been for a Gryffindor, is simply to sit through a tutoring session with Alexandra since she and Hermione had been the only ones to have gotten their potion perfect. This is also Snape's way of trying to teach Alexandra that her fellow Slytherins are more important than her Gryffindor friends.

Halfway through the hour, Severus returns and dismisses Alexandra, muttering that today's near disaster of a Potions class had better not have set a standard for the rest of the term or else he'd need a new classroom by Christmas.

--

Author's Note: just asking this, how many people out there think that most of the Slytherins actually have a problem with Malfoy's I'm-a-spoiled-brat-who's-father-has-a-very-influential-Ministry-position-so-don't-mess-with-me attitude?


	9. Madam Hooch's Lessons

09 – Madame Hooch's Lessons

"Once more," Madam Rolanda Hooch orders an Alexandra repeats the movements Hooch had showed her, English Longsword in the Saturday morning sun.

"Much better," Pomona comments. "Don't you agree, Rolanda?"

"Yes," Rolanda nods in agreement. "You did a good job teaching her the basics, Pomona. I wasn't aware you knew how to wield a sword."

Pomona laughs softly at Rolanda's comment. "That's because I don't know how to wield a sword. Alexandra taught herself. I only bought the sword for her."

"I'm impressed. The only other person I know who taught himself the art of the sword was Severus and that was just to help control his violent rages. She's not even close to my skill yet, let alone his. What possessed her to teach herself Pomona?"

"Same reason as Severus I'm afraid," Pomona sighs. "I got Alexandra that sword to try and stem her accidental magic from the violent outbursts she's quiet prone to."

"So that makes three known swordsmen at Hogwarts, two of which are prone to violence," Rolanda sighs. "And that's not counting the students from old pureblood families that are probably at least decent at sword play. How's she taking the news? Have either of you talked to her?"

"At least Alexandra calms down quickly enough. I've known her to be temperamental and reclusive for an hour at the most during and after one of her outbursts. Not well at all I'm afraid; I did manage to talk her out of withdrawing Alexandra from school though. And no, Alexis had me make an Unbreakable Vow not to tell her about him," Pomona sighs as she calls Alexandra over to her.

"Good morning Professor Sprout," Alexandra greets Pomona happily, knowing enough to use a proper greeting at school even though it's a weekend. "How did I do, Madam Hooch?"

"It's an improvement," Rolanda nods to the girl. "You still need years of practice before you learn anything but the basics though."

"That's fine. I only wanted to learn the basics anyhow," Alexandra shrugs as she puts her Longsword back into its sheath. "Thank you though Madam Hooch. Can we continue these lessons every Saturday?"

"You're welcome. Yes, as long as you keep your grades up," Rolanda says as Alexandra begins walking back to the castle with Pomona. "I can't see how that girl's a Slytherin except for who her father is," she mutters to herself in an undertone.


	10. Speaking Out

10- Speaking Out

"Aren't you done bragging yet Malfoy?" Alexandra asks about halfway through dinner in the Great Hall on Halloween. "The only time you've shut up is to stuff food into that big mouth of yours."

"Don't talk to him like that Ollivander," Pansy snaps at Alexandra. "Why don't you-"

"Why doesn't she what Pansy?" silence befalls that Slytherin table at Goyle's words. "Go sit at the Gryffindor table again?"

"Exactly. A true Slytherin would never associate with Gryffindors," Malfoy snaps. "She's as bad as that blood traitor Weasley."

"You're not one to talk Draco," Crabbe speaks up from Malfoy's right. "Alexandra may be friends with the Gryffindors but at least she doesn't go around insults her fellow Slytherins or anyone else for that matter unless she's insulting the person right to his or her face."

"Crabbe has a good point," Blaise Zabini adds from his seat on Goyle's left.

Malfoy shoots Blaise a glare from the other side of the table and Blaise holds his tongue.

"Crabbe and Blaise are right," Mullicent Bulstrode chimes in from Alexandra's right. "You're supposed to be Crabbe and Goyle's friend, Draco, but you always call them 'idiots,' 'stupid,' or 'dense.' Alexandra's nice to them and has been helping them- a fair number of us actually- with our homework over the past two months."

"Mullicent!" Pansy shrieks but Mullicent just shrugs.

"It's the truth," Goyle says and Crabbe nods in agreement. "Alexandra's only known un since school started last month but she's been nicer to us than Draco has been since- well never and we've known him our entire lives."

Alexandra just sits there in numb shock, too amazed that Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, and Mullicent, whom Alexandra had previously thought couldn't stand her, were speaking out against Malfoy.

Malfoy slams his fist off of the table as he starts a small tirade. Alexandra purposely ignores Malfoy's insults and threats until he directs his comments at her.

"And as for you Ollivander, I suggest you go stay with Potter and his worthless friends or else," Malfoy sneers.

"Or else what?" Alexandra glares across the table at him.

"I'm sure my father can find some way to close down that hole in the wall you call a potion store that your mother owns-"

"Good luck there Malfoy," Alexandra cuts his off, a sharp edge to her voice. "My family and I made sure there would be no possible reason for an Inquiry of any sort."

"Well then I'm sure a _nasty rumor_ or two from when my father was here at Hogwarts with your _mother_ and her friends _will_ be able to _ruin_ your store's _reputation_ and drive away a good number of highly _respected_ customers."

--

Minerva McGonagall shakes her head in silent amusement as she witnesses the chaos at the Staff Table during dinner. Pomona sprout is arguing with Severus Snape and poor Filius Flitwick is stuck sitting between them. Rolanda Hooch and Rubeus Hagrid are helping Filius try and calm Pomona and Severus down.

"Albus, what's happening over at the Slytherin table?" Minerva questions the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

"It seems as though your Mr. Malfoy has offended most of his fellow first years," Albus notes, a glint of amusement in his blue eyes.

Their exchange catches the attention of the quarrelers farther down the table. Both Pomona and Severus direct their attention towards the Slytherin table just as Malfoy focuses on Ollivander.

Pomona gets up to leave the table when Ollivander glares at Malfoy. Severus stops her though, saying that she should let the girl handle things on her own. Needless to say, this sets Pomona off and she begins arguing with Severus again. Minerva watches in mild amusement as Ollivander cuts off Malfoy, a warning look on the girl's face.

"Severus," Minerva motions to the Slytherin table where Malfoy is running his mouth once again, an oddly malicious gleam in his eyes. "With all do respect, you need to teach your students some self-control, especially Mr. Mal-"

"You keep your bloody mouth shout Malfoy!" Ollivander's voice echoes throughout the Great Hall. "You and your good for nothing blackard of a father don't know anything so I suggest you keep your noses out of my family's business!"

Minerva listens to Pomona sigh as Ollivander storms out of the Great Hall, a handful of Slytherin first years at her heels.

"What just happened here?" Minerva brakes the stunned silence at the Staff Table, the Great Hall once again filled with the sounds of students talking and having dinner.

"It seems as though Mr. Malfoy has found a way to make Ms. Ollivander more temperamental than she already is," Severus muses.

"That's not funny, Severus," Pomona scowls. "At least Alexandra only cast a Sonorus spell on accident. I've seen much more harmful accidental magic than making someone whimper by yelling at them with an unintentionally magnified voice."

"Considering the girl's family, I'm not at all surprised by her temper," Albus comments. "Give Ms. Ollivander my regards, would you, Pomona?"

"Of course, Headmaster," Pomona bows respectfully before rushing out of the Great Hall after Ollivander.

--

Author's notes:

this'll be my last update for a few days. I'm almost caught up to myself seeing as this is being written out on paper before it's typed. I'm in the process of writing chapter 12 now and i wont update until I'm at least two parts farther. Hopefully the length of chapter 11 will make up for my slow updating.


	11. Detention Threats and Jinxes

11- Detention Threats and Jinxes

"So you're going to cheer for me from the Slytherin section of the stands tomorrow?" Harry questions Alexandra one Friday morning in November.

"'Course," Alexandra says as she comes back to their table in the library with a book about potion ingredients. "I _would_ be cheering from the Gryffindor section but _someone_ threatened me with a _week's worth of detentions_ if I didn't sit with the Slytherins," she drops her voice but stresses the words just as Professor Snape passes by them.

"Hey Alex, where'd you find that book?" Ron asks, frustrated with the Potions essay they had been working on all class. "And can I borrow it?"

Alexandra and Hermione exchange smug looks and Alexandra hands Hermione the book instead.

"Honestly, Ron, would it kill you to be polite?" she all but dangles the book, _Rare Potion-making Herbs of Magical Great Britain_, in front of the red-head. "Oh, and turn around, both of you."

Alexandra snickers at the crest-fallen looks on Harry and Ron's faces as they finally realize after a half hour of class just what section of the library they're sitting in. Alexandra and Hermione had purposely chosen a table in this section of the library to make sure the boys worked on their essays.

"It was for your own good," Alexandra shrugs as she takes the book from Hermione and shoves it in front of Harry and Ron. "It was right behind you by the way and why else would I have gotten it? Hermione and I had our essays done ten minutes ago," Hermione nods in agreement.

"And why, pray tell, have you not handed them in yet then?"

"Because we wanted to torment Harry and Ron for a few minutes first, sir," Alexandra hands Professor Snape her essay, Hermione doing the same.

"There may be hope for you yet, Ms. Ollivander," Snape gives Alexandra a look that's almost unnoticeably approving. "I suggest you lose that Gryffindor cheek before you speak to me again."

"And-"

"And what if I decide not to?" Alexandra asks quickly before her friends can get themselves in trouble, the tone in her voice a fine cross of Gryffindor cheek and Slytherin guile.

"All four of you have detention with me tomorrow night," Snape smirks wickedly at the glares from Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Alexandra. "And as for you, Ms. Ollivander," Snape hisses, his voice barely more than a whisper against Alexandra's ear, "It'll be _double_ detention if _anything_ happens during the Quidditch match tomorrow."

Alexandra nods slowly, a wicked gleam eerily similar to the one in Snape's eyes when taking points from Gryffindor showing in her eyes as the Potion Master stalks towards a table in another section of the library.

"Alexandra, no," Hermione scolds, not even caring to know what the Slytherin's plan may be.

"Shut it. You're not the one being threatened with double detention for a week for no reason save that your head of house likes picking on you, Hermione," Alexandra snaps back. "Anyway, on to a different subject-"

"Don't even think about it you two. Back to work on your essays," Harry and Ron groan at Hermione and Alexandra's words.

"You've only got twenty minutes left to finish before Snape collects them," Alexandra reminds them before turning to Hermione. "What happened after I left dinner last night? And don't say nothing happened because yesterday Ronald had you crying after Charms and today you're friends with him and Harry."

You're too observant sometimes Alex," Ron comments and Hermione throws him a warning look at which Harry and Alexandra roll their eyes.

"A mountain troll got into the dungeons last night. These two locked the thing in the girls' lavatories with me in there. They realized what they did so they came back and saved me."

"Who in their right mind would let a mountain troll into Hogwarts on Halloween? That's not even remotely funny enough to be considered a joke. It's downright stupidity," Alexandra shakes her head in disbelief.

"Here," Harry gives Alexandra his essay and Ron gives Hermione his. "Care to check them for us?"

"No, I think not," Snape sneers as he appears behind the girls. "I'll be the only one to look over these _essays_. Potter, Weasley, five points each from Gryffindor for trying to cheat."

"Don't mind Professor Snape guys," Alexandra says carelessly to the two now enraged Gryffindor boys seated across from her in an attempt to calm them, fully aware of the scowling professor's presence behind her. "He's still upset that Crabbe, Goyle, and Neville nearly ruined his classroom again last class. And yes, Professor, I know I just earned myself a double detention tonight. At least now I'll have something to do after tutoring Crabbe and Goyle for you. It's a shame you won't let me help Hermione tutor the Gryffindor boys though."

"Ms. Ollivander, you are becoming nearly as _insufferable_ as the Gryffindors," Snape snarls. "You're only redeeming qualities are you potion brewing abilities and your talent for knowing what to say and when to say so that you can either harass someone or save your own hide, both qualities separating you from the _Gryffindors_ you so choose to befriend for some odd reason."

--

After dinner, Alexandra spends two hours tutoring Crabbe and Goyle in the dungeon used for their Potions class. During these two hellishly long hours, Alexandra's violent outbursts towards the boys' intentional ignorance- she had explained this to them once before- to the subtle differences between ground, crushed, and powdered potion ingredients nearly making Professor Snape laugh several times. The Potion Master catches himself each time fortunately. Unfortunately for him though, his three snakes make it a point to hide their notice. Upon returning to the Slytherin common room, the three inform all of their year-mates immediately, Alexandra making it a point to inform Draco Malfoy especially. Two months of tormenting one another and last night's argument at dinner had become a sort of mutual respect between them.

--

"Any ideas yet Malfoy?"

"None underhanded enough to catch him off guard," Malfoy glares at Alexandra over his shoulder for disturbing him. "Would you mind letting me watch Potter fail, Ollivander?"

"Of course not _Draco_," Alexandra coos into Malfoy's ear sweetly, the blond's steel blue eyes widening as the Slytherin and Gryffindor Quidditch teams mount their brooms.

"Don't you dare, Ollivander!" Malfoy yells, covering his ears a second too late.

"Go Gryffindor!" Alexandra shouts right in Malfoy's ear before leaning back into her seat behind the blond and watching the match through s pair of binoculars.

"Hey Ollivander, what's Potter up to now?"

"Like I know Malfoy," Alexandra snaps. "It looks like someone's jinxing his broom," her voice drops to below a whisper, silently praying for her friend's life as she looks around the pitch for the caster.

Alexandra watches through her binoculars as Harry tries to get back on his broom but keeps getting thrown back off. She looks over at the teachers' section figuring that the only people powerful enough to jinx a broom at Hogwarts would be the teachers unfortunately. An uncharacteristic scowl graces Alexandra's features at the sight of Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell both muttering non-stop under their breath, neither one of them breaking eye contact with Harry and his broom. A little blue flame suddenly appears on the hem of Snape's robes. Alexandra sighs in partial relief as the smoke blocks Quirrell's line of sight and Harry clambers back up onto his broom. Alexandra grabs the back of Malfoy's robes and drags him from the Quidditch pitch, the look of an extremely vengeful Slytherin clear in her eyes.

--

Author's notes: I decided to post this now since the next few parts will take some time to get right. I so love the devious nature of Slytherins, don't you? Reviews would be nice, I might just decide to stop posting this is I don't get at least one review(I'll even take a flame) before I reach chapter fifteen.


	12. Preholiday Slytherin Mechinations

1Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long for this part but I think it's well worth it. What I said about not getting a review before part fifteen still stands but I think some events in this part will have some people laughing hysterically.

12- Pre-holiday Slytherin Machinations

"Damn it, Malfoy!" Alexandra fumes as she and Draco sit in the Slytherin common room the morning before they would leave for the winter holidays. Funny how a month of trying to get a teacher sacked can make two people friends –er at least tolerate one another. "How has that _idiot_ not been sacked yet?"

"How would I know, Ollivander?" Draco snaps back. They had woken up first and had been arguing for a good hour at least. "We've tried everything we can think of that won't get us expelled."

"We can't get expelled f we don't get caught."

"What did you have-" Draco stops talking at the sound of a door opening. "About time you two got up- ouch! That hurt, Ollivande- oww! Sorry, morning guys. Happy?"

"Yes," Alexandra nods. "Morning Vincent, Gregory."

"Morning Alex, Draco," Crabbe yawns.

"Morning. No need to be formal on Draco's account, Alex," Goyle mumbles as he sits on one of the couches, instantly falling back asleep with his head on Crabbe's shoulder.

"Don't bother flattering yourself, Mr. Malfoy," Draco's smug look vanishes from his face at Snape's disdainful drawl. "As you are aware, there are no classes today because most of your fellow students are leaving at various times during the course of the day to return home for the _ridiculous_ winter holidays. This fact, however, does not excuse either you or Ms. Ollivander from your double detention today since you are both leaving after dinner tonight."

"You're not serious, are you, Professor Snape?" Draco asks in disbelief.

"Why exactly, pray tell, are we getting detention?"

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, as much as I despise saying this, I'm quite serious. Ms. Ollivander, you and Mr. Malfoy know exactly why you're being punished."

"I assure you, sir, that we don't know," Alexandra glares at the man, her onyx eyes alight with outrage.

"We honestly don't know, sir," Draco adds, the same look in his eyes as in Alexandra's.

Severus meets their glares without flinching. Maybe they aren't responsible for the attempt on Quirrell's life last night? He knows they were behind at least some of the attempts on the fool's job but his life? That seems too drastic, even for his most cunning and vengeful Slytherins.

"You will both report to the dungeons immediately following breakfast in the Great Hall whether you like it or not," Severus scowls at last. He really does enjoy seeing the reaction of his snakes to unfair, or in this case partially unfair, punishment. "Failure to do so will result in extra homework over the holidays. You will be informed of your task at that time. _Enjoy_ your breakfast until then."

The sarcasm and malice in that last statement probably would make even the Headmaster nervous, Alexandra reasons as she passes Snape, her eyes alight with something as she, Crabbe, a half-asleep Goyle, and a seemingly unnerved Draco head out of the dungeons and towards the Great Hall.

Severus follows behind them, his amusement carefully hidden as he prepares one of his private supply rooms, one of the many unused dungeon classrooms, for Draco and Oll- Alexandra's detention. Funny how a smart mouth, short-tempered Slytherin girl who had forced him, Severus Alexander Snape, to sign an autograph like some sort of _celebrity_, oh how he despises that word, could remind him of himself in some strange way. The girl would probably have the nerve to ask the former Dark Lord himself or one of his more loyal followers for an autograph if he was still in power but, then again, the girl's family's potion store had wanted posters of known Death Eaters on the walls in both sections of the store so the girl was most likely taught to hate the Dark Arts and all those who practiced them, Severus reasons.

--

"I can't believe someone actually tried to murder Professor Quirrell last night," Alexandra rolls her eyes at Hermione's repetition of Professor Dumbledore's statement.

"Probably that Vampire from Romania or the African Zombie wanted revenge," Ron says through a mouthful of sausage.

Alexandra mutters something about 'Ron' and 'idiots'.

"Neither of them could've gotten into the castle undetected. It must have been someone with an ulterior motive obviously."

"More like someone with powerful friends could've let them in and the garlic smell from Quirrell's turban made them sick," Harry offers. "What do you think, Alex?"

"Most likely, the offender is from my house," Alexandra sighs. "Revenge. From what I overheard in the common room, Quirrell screwed up big time and called a group of purebloods from older families 'mudbloods'. Put simply, we Slytherins don't take well to insults like that and we believe in revenge to fit the crime and then some."

"That explains a lot then," Ron nods in understanding. "Quirrell should've known better. Are you spending the day with us Gryffindors or with _them_?"

"You'll never accept the rest of my house, will you?" Ron stubbornly shakes his head. "Oh well. And my day is being spent in detention with Malfoy and Snape. Neither of us knows why we got detention either."

--

"This is so annoying!" Draco yells when Snape leaves the room about twenty minutes into the two hours of detention. "The man is anal when it comes to organizing his potion ingredients! He screwed up this store room on purpose!"

"I'll second that, Draco," Alexandra snorts, having just finished identifying almost everything. "At least he kept the more reactive ingredients away from one another, well most of them anyway. Idiot."

"I can't believe you just openly insulted him."

"I've insulted him right to his face before and you know that, Draco. You never cared before. What's up?" Alexandra asks as she starts moving various items around.

"Professor Snape's my godfather. He's known me my entire life. Most Slytherins won't openly defend someone they care about in front of a large amount of people, let alone openly accept having someone care about them or admit to caring about someone. It's a reputational thing, you should know that."

Alexandra apologizes and Draco cracks a joke about his godfather as he attempts to help Alexandra. She shoos him away and tells him to start making name cards for everything.

"_Color-coded and alphabetized_?" the black haired girl nods and her blond friend groans. "And I thought Uncle Sev was bad. You're more mental than he is, Alex."

"I wouldn't say mental," Alexandra shrugs, pursing her lips at the jar in her hands. "My mum, grandpa, and Auntie Pomona- shut it or I swear I'll slip a potion into your drink at lunch, Malfoy! She's my godmother so stop laughing. I didn't laugh at 'Uncle Sev'."

"Sorry. It just sounded weird coming from you- I didn't mean anything by it. Continue."

"Like I was saying, they've all decided to just call me somewhere between mental and anal."

"I'd believe it," Draco just shakes his head and continues writing out name cards, quickly reaching Alexandra's current problem.

Aconite. Also known as 'monkshood' and 'wolfbane'. A now frustrated Alexandra leaves the jar on one of the shelves on the left side of the door where the _alphabet_ of items would end. A shared nod confirms a silent agreement to use the plant's most common name whether Snape likes it or not, neither of them caring much at the moment.

--

An hour and a half later, Severus is _still _arguing with Albus over whether or not Quirrell should be allowed to retain his post as Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor after nearly being murdered by a group of very offended and vengeful seventh year Slytherin and Gryffindor purebloods. Ten minutes later, Severus storms out of the Headmaster's office, infuriated by the old man as usual. Severus is sure there's going to be more attempts on Quirrell's life and isn't about to let _any_ of his snakes do something as foolish as murder that imbecile of a teacher.

--

A half hour earlier finds Alexandra and Draco arguing over what to do with the remaining handful of items they hadn't identified, all of which are _conveniently_ contained in jars either made of dark-colored glass or charmed to be that way.

"We should just wait for him to come back," Draco says for at least the hundredth time.

"We really don't _need_ to though," Alexandra whines, sounding eerily like Hermione. "There are only about ten known items that would need to be kept in jars like these because of their sensitivity to light. Of those ten items, only six are actually poisonous to our kind-"

"And there are exactly _six _jars!" Draco snaps, quickly calculating the odds. "There's a sixty-six percent chance we'll get poisoned!"

"Less than that actually. Of the six items, four are plants that aren't poisonous until they reach the bloodstream, one is so abnormally rare that it'd be a miracle if it _was_ in one of those jars- yes, basilisk fangs are that rare and that deadly- yes, I said basilisk fangs Draco- and the other is a type of _creature_. Some sort of cross between a plant and animal that can inject a poison directly into your veins through the stingers at the ends of its tentacles/vines from what I've heard about it. It's been around since ancient times I guess and not much has been released to the public about it."

Draco shakes his head as he hands Alexandra one of the jars. This was exactly why he _never_ let a conversation with his godfather come to the subject of potions and/or their components unless _absolutely_ necessary. Getting lectured about a school subject outside of that class was like having class. Draco had learned that during a conversation with his father and godfather a few years ago. The blond darkens the room, the only light coming from the tip of his wand.

Alexandra carefully unscrews the lid on the jar and Draco shines the light from his wand inside. Lucky Slytherins! The thing in the jar reacts violently to the light, Alexandra dropping the jar when- oh bloody hell! She'd forgotten about dangerous item number seven!- a tentacle wraps around her left wrist before she can close the jar.

Draco hastily repairs the shattered jar and holds it under the thing while Alexandra uses a full-body bind on it before pulling it from her wrist. She motions for Draco to fill the jar with water from the sink and to close it while she clutches at her left wrist in pain.

"_Vampyroteuthis infernalis_," Alexandra answers Draco's unasked question when he relights the torches in the room. "Or literally, 'vampire squid from hell'. It's not poisonous to us as far as anyone knows. Magic negates its venom but the venom is found in its beak for killing its prey while it eats, not in its spines for paralyzing it."

"Let me see it," Draco orders, causing Alexandra to wince when he grabs her wrist. The wound isn't deep but there's too much blood...one of those spines must've hit a vein in her wrist! Draco realizes with a start. "Here," he takes a handkerchief from inside his robes and goes to ties it around her wrist only to see that she had already done so with some bandages.

"Vein," Alexandra had realized it a moment before Draco.

"Watch where you're going, Draco!" Snape's snarling voice is a relief to Alexandra's ears, although his voice sounds oddly close...

"How long have you been standing there?" Alexandra and Draco ask, anger in their voices.

"Long enough," Snape scowls as he walks over to Alexandra. "Take the bandages off and show it to me. As you said, a punctured vein."

Alexandra mutters a 'thank you' when Snape uses a weak healing charm on her wrist.

--

"I almost feel bad for him," Draco sneers at dinner, ignoring the curious looks from all but one of his fellow Slytherin year mates.

"I don't."

"That's because you're more wicked and heartless than I am, Ollivander."

"Bite me, Malfoy. The damn vampire-phobe deserves it and Professor Snape agreed to help us so we can't get in trouble."

A tell-tale scream of horror from the Staff table draws the attention of _everyone_ in the Great Hall. Professor Quirrell is sitting atop Professor Flitwick's head, pointing his wand at Professor Snape and yelling something about knowing he was actually a vampire all along causing the Great Hall to erupt with laughter. Professor Dumbledore looks on in amusement while Flitwick throws Quirrell off of him, calling him an idiot amongst other things. Snape uncharms his red eyes so that they're black again and drinks the antidote to the potion that had made his teeth fang-like, a fiendish smirk on his face.

--

After dinner, Alexandra bids farewell to Harry and Ron before getting her trunk from the girls' dormitories in the Slytherin dungeons and going to the Hogsmeade station with the other Slytherins. Alexandra meets up with Hermione and spends most of the train ride back to King's Cross Station with her. She says goodbye to Hermione and the Slytherins before heading home with Alexis via Side-Along Apparation.


	13. Holiday Normalcy and Then Some

13- Holiday Normalcy and then some

"Welcome home my dear," Ollivander hugs his granddaughter when she and Alexis enter the house.

"I missed you too, grandpa," Alexandra smiles before taking her things up to her room and letting Blade out of his cage.

The next morning, Alexandra gets about half of her holiday assignments done before helping out in the store. As usual per the holidays, she starts preparing three cauldrons for brewing Calming Draught even though there's still about fifty or so phials of it left. They would be gone within an hour, two at the most if Alexandra was lucky. Maybe Pomona would come by for a visit early in the day.

"Ms. Ollivander! Ms. Ollivander!" a frantic voice calls.

"What happened?" both Alexis and Alexandra rush to the Diagon Alley side of the store.

Alexis fakes feeling faint and mutters something to Alexandra. A mumbled 'thanks a lot' is her reply.

"Good morning, Madam Jennings," Alexandra says as pleasantly as she can. "What can I do for you today?"

Madam Jennings is a rather pleasant, fragile looking old Squib. She always keeps her snowy white hair pulled back in a bun, offsetting her emerald green robes and powdery blue eyes rather well. The wealthy widow was never happy though. Her husband had been one of the first to die when Voldemort- Alexis refuses to call him by either his title (Dark Ahole as far as she was concerned) or by You-Know-Who etc and Alexandra had been taught to do the same- had come to power twenty years ago. Poor Madam Jennings only has one daughter and has always wanted more children. So now, every year on Valentine's Day, Christmas, and the birthdays of her daughter and son-in-law, both of whom are Ministry officials, Madam Jennings comes to the store to purchase Fertility Potions for her daughter and son-in-law.

"The normal Alex dear," Madam Jennings says sweetly. "I'm still not a grandma yet. I wonder, dearie, do those potions lose their potency the more they're taken by any chance?"

"After a few years," Alexandra calls from the back room. "Of course the potions are on the top shelf," she mutters as she pushes a ladder across the room to the back wall. "As long as you go a few years without taking them, you'll be fine. And you're lucky, Madam Jennings, these are the last two phials. Did you want them packaged?"

"Yes, thank you. How much, dear?"

"Two Galleons, four Knuts as always," Alexandra says as she puts the two crystal phials in a little box and ties a ribbon around it. "Here you go."

"You didn't need to put the ribbon on it, dearie. Here, a little extra for you in exchange. Ah ah, no buts. Happy early Christmas to you and your family."

"The same to you, Madam Jennings," Alexandra calls to the old woman as she leaves the store before returning to the back room to tend to her cauldrons.

--

"How long until the Calming Draught's ready, Alex?" Alexis shouts to her daughter from the Nocturn Alley side of the store.

"Look at the timer," Alexandra shouts back from the Diagon Alley side. "Alright, alright! One at a time! I don't care if you're Merlin himself, you wait in line just like everyone else! Minister Fudge, get back in line! You're supposed to be setting an example, for Salazar's sake!"

Alexandra frantically runs from the back room to the counter, trying to keep up with the customers on her side of the store. She and Alexis nearly run into on another at least five or six times. Both sides of the store are near insanity with Christmas only two days away. At least there weren't any ridiculous purchases or thieves to deal with yet today, although the anti-theft wards proved quite useful except for the hysteria from the occasional attempted thefts.

"My side's clear for now. I'll get your customers while you get the Minister's order."

"Thanks, mum," Alexandra sprints into the back room for the maybe hundredth time since Madam Jennings visit earlier. She quickly fills one hundred crystal phials with freshly brewed Calming Draught. Damn Minister of Magic. He had showed up twenty minutes early. Must be a really bad day, Alexandra reasons, downing a phial of the stuff and setting one aside for Alexis.

--

"Finally, peace and quiet," Alexandra sighs two hectic hours later as she sits with her back against a pile of dirty cauldrons.

She relaxes for about ten minutes before cleaning up the disaster that both sides of the store and the back room currently are. The floors are covered with snow, water, slush, and spilled potion ingredients. Thank Merlin for unbreakable glass and crystal phials or else the mess on the Diagon Alley side might be worse than the one on the Nocturn Alley side. The Nocturn Alley side has damage from a few minor hexes that Alexis would need to repair later. Alexandra was too exhausted from the day to use magic at all.

--

"What now?" Alexandra lifts her head up from the counter in the Nocturn Alley side, shaking the sleepiness from her. "Mum, there's a customer in the Nocturn Alley side too," she calls back to Alexis before turning to her current customer. "How can I help you, sir?"

"Do you sell phials of unicorn blood by any chance? I can't see any on display," the hooded figure's dark voice makes Alexandra's blood run cold.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't have any in stock at the moment," Alexandra lies, her countenance and voice as emotionless as possible while eyeing his wand warily. "I would need to know what you needed it for to verify that the sale would be legal if there was any. Store policy."

"I don't believe you, girl," the man snarls, blatantly ignoring the notice posted on the door and counter. "_Legilimens_."

Alexandra closes her mind and forces the intruder out before he can reach memories beyond those of today's hectic morning and afternoon.

"Get. Out." Alexandra growls, a painful memory suddenly resurfacing in her mind. "Now."

"Fine then. I'll find it somewhere else," the hooded figure storms off in a flurry of black robes.

--

Alexis calls to her daughter from the living room of their home, telling her that there's a customer in the Diagon Alley side and implying that Alexis felt like being lazy at the moment. That idea dies when Alexandra shouts back that she's got a customer on the Nocturn Alley side as well. Alexis smiles to herself as she passes through the back room of their store and into the Diagon Alley side, her proud smile vanishing as she stops dead in her tracks.

"Snape," Alexis glares at the fellow Potion Master. "What a surprise to you on this side."

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Alexis," Severus says bitterly. "I can see where your daughter gets her manners from, Gryffindor."

"Screw you, Slytherin," Alexis snarls. "Did you come here to snipe of to buy something, Death Eater?"

"Four phials of Calming Draught and two phials of Dreamless Sleep Draught."

Alexis snorts and retreats into the back room for the potions, muttering under her breath with the only distinctive words being 'insufferable snake.' She freezes when she sees her daughter knock over her stool and slump against the back of the counter.

"Alex!" Alexis drops the phials and rushes to her daughter's side. "Alex, look at me. Are you okay, sweetie?"

"Alexis, what happened? Is your daughter alright?" Severus asks, coming behind the counter and over to Alexis and Alexandra.

"This is your fault, Snape," Alexis snaps, anger and concern lacing her voice. "The one time you don't enter from the Nocturn Alley side something happens."

"I-"

"Mum, let it go. Whatever it is that you have against Professor Snape, let it go for now, please," Alexandra says weakly, making it a point to cut her professor off before he can even begin his sentence. "He's entered from the Diagon Alley side before and nothing has happened."

A non-verbal exchange between the three confirms Alexandra's words and Alexis reluctantly apologizes to Severus for Alexandra's sake. Alexis quickly checks both of the Alleys before closing the store and returning to her daughter's side after having motioned for Severus to carry the girl to the couch nearest the fireplace.

"I'm sorry, mum, Professor," Alexandra says after a few minutes of tense silence, some of her strength back.

"And just what exactly, pray tell, are you apologizing for?" Severus asks, conflict evident deep within his eyes. He wants to show some concern for one of his favorite snakes and his former classmate's daughter but his reputation and pride won't allow it.

"For being a horrible Occlumens. I'm completely drained."

"Alex, you're only eleven. I only had you learn basic Occlumency as a precaution. You were never meant to actually use it until you get older," Alexis hugs her daughter.

"And I'm sorry for worrying you both," Alexandra continues, ignoring her mother. "Yes, Professor Snape, mum taught me some Legilimency as well but I can't use that properly either. Your eyes held concern in them for a moment," she adds as an afterthought.

"She's just an overly observant brat is all," Alexis ruffles her daughter's hair affectionately.

"I have learned that first hand," Severus nods in agreement. "Ms. Olli- Alexandra, what did that customer look like?"

"I have no idea, sir. His hood hid his face but his voice held pure evil," Alexandra shudders at the memory, pulling her knees up to her chest for comfort in the process. "He wanted unicorn blood and he didn't have any sort of potion text saying what it would be needed for with him if that helps any."

"Alright, that's enough Alex. Upstairs to bed, we've got Christmas shopping and last minute customers to deal with in the morning," Alexis orders sharply.

Alexandra thanks Professor Snape for helping, wishes him a happy Christmas, and says goodnight to him and her mother before going upstairs without question.

--

"You had a Dark creature in your store, Alexis."

"You think I don't know that, Severus," Alexis snaps at him, her cold temperament towards the man returning somewhat as she gathers up the phials she had dropped earlier. "Unicorn blood is sacred. I don't want that thing back here."

"Do you want me to stay around or not then?"

"Ye-no, not really. Here," Alexis hands him the phials, "just take them. Call it a thank you for helping. You didn't need to and had no reason to care except that Alex is one of your Slytherins."

Severus nods as Alexis lets him out through the side/front door of the house. Neither of them say anything save a reluctantly bidden 'good night' before Severus Disapparates and Alexis closes and locks the door, putting up as many wards as she can think of. Maybe, just maybe, no, not even for Alexandra would Alexis ever truly let go of the past and forgive the greasy git.


	14. Christmas Eve

Author's notes:

Two things: one, I'm stopping updates after June 11th since I'm going on vacation and I don't know if and when I'll update again because I still haven't gotten the single review I'm asking for. Two, in case no one has noticed yet, I like messing with time now and then and I hope I have the transition between time phases flowing smoothly. I hope no one minds.

14- Christmas Eve

"I can't take much more of this," Pomona sighs as she sits in the back room of _Alex's Potion Emporium_ late on Christmas Eve afternoon. She had just Stunned Alexis and levitated her onto one of the couches for the tenth time at least that day. "She'll be up in a few minutes."

"Right," Alexandra sighs as she sprinkles a powder of some sort into a cauldron. "As long as mum doesn't fond her wand, we shouldn't have to worry. You might want to grab an umbrella out of the corner if you go into the kitchen though Auntie Pomona. She managed to charm the ceiling in there to make the weather conditions in the room match her moon before I could get her and away from her."

"That explains your bad mood then," Pomona ruffles her goddaughter's hair only to have her hand swatted away. "Care to explain why she's so much worse than normal, Alex?"

Alexandra looks up thoughtfully for a moment before answering. "Let's see… some idiot came into the Nocturn Alley side last night and used Legilimency on me when I refused to sell him unicorn blood against store policy. Meanwhile, Professor Snape was in the Diagon Alley side at the same time and he carried me into the house while mum checked the area and locked up the store."

"Merlin," Pomona gasps, more concerned for Alexandra than anything else. "At least you're alright though. I suppose she's more riled up this year because you forced her to put aside her feud with Severus for a few minutes."

Alexandra nods in agreement despite the fact that no one will tell her anything about the so called feud between the two Potion Masters. The normal ward on the door to the Nocturn Alley side goes off followed by a different ward that Alexis had apparently placed on the door sometime after last night's incident. Alexandra gets up to go to the counter but stops short when a no longer Stunned and now irate Alexis storms past her and Pomona, wand in hand with at least twenty different hexes in mind. Pomona looks from Alexandra to Alexis's wand and back again, a frown on her face. Alexandra shrugs her shoulders, obviously clueless as well as to how Alexis had found her wand. The sound of shattering glass draws Alexandra and Pomona's wands instantly, both of them rushing to Alexis' aid.

"That's him," Alexandra hisses bitterly to her mother and her two professors from her spot behind the three adults.

--

Alexis had thrown off Pomona's fifteenth Stunning spell without much trouble. The woman hadn't put much effort into it honestly. Either that or it was Alexis' paranoia about that think that attacked Alexandra's mind coming back that had given her a strong resistance to being subdued by a simple spell. On that thought, Alexis makes a mental note to not send Snape his annual Christmas Howler. Alexandra had hidden Alexis' wand in the one place no one except a Slytherin or the family of one would look for anything except in an emergency. Alexis removes her wand from the sheath Alexandra's English Longsword is kept in after taking the sheath out from under the loose floorboards under the couch nearest the fireplace when her new ward on the Nocturn Alley entrance goes off.

Alexis storms past Alexandra and Pomona and into the Nocturn Alley side of the store, hatred and anger burning in her eyes.

"You," she mutters darkly, wand aimed over Snape's shoulder and at the hooded figure behind him.

Severus' eyes widen a bit at Alexis' tone of voice and raised wand until he notices the reflection of the person behind him in the Witch's furious sapphire blue eyes. Severus ducks to avoid the disarming and stunning spells sent over his shoulder and follows the spells with identical ones.

The cloaked Wizard deflects all four spells away from himself, shattering the glass in the windows and door in the process.

"That's him," Alexandra's hissed statement confirms Alexis and Severus' suspicion, both of them and Pomona taking defensive positions in front of the girl.

This Wizard is the same one from last night.

"What do you want?" Alexis growls, half a dozen curses on the tip of her tongue.

The hooded figure points his wand at the four of them before speaking. "I know you have unicorn blood here. I want your entire supply or else someone dies."

Severus exchanges a quick glance with the three Witches. There _is_ a small supply of unicorn blood somewhere in the building but the four of them would be damned if they were about to let this monster get at it.

"There isn't any," Severus lies, figuring it would be better if the person with the most skill in Occlumency is the one who lies to a Legilimens. "Go look somewhere else for it, perhaps in the Apothecary in Diagon Alley."

"Don't lie to me," the figure snarls. "_Legilimens_."

Severus repels the creature from his mind without much difficult, a sinister smirk that would unnerve Salazar Slytherin himself on his face. The figure scowls and leaves after blasting a hole in the counter next to Severus and directly in front of Alexis, Pomona, and Alexandra with a powerful Blasting Curse that would've killed the Witches had it not been for a quick shield charm on the part of Severus. Alexis and Pomona had been acting as human shields in order to protect Alexandra.

"I came here to purchase a few needed supplies that I discovered I do not possess at home, not get attacked and have to defend myself and others," Severus snaps as the four of them begin repairing the store.

"No one told you to come back here to check on us," Alexis snaps back from her spot beside the other shattered window. "_Repairo_."

"Don't start arguing again, you two," Pomona sighs as she and Alexandra repair the hole in the counter.

"Stay out of it, Pomona," Alexandra rolls her eyes at her mother and professor's words.

The two glare at one another for a moment. Alexis turns on her heel and storms out of the store, through the back room and house, and out into the back yard.

"Just be careful, Alex," Pomona calls after her goddaughter. "She's the only one who can keep Lex from blowing up something when she's like that."

"And that phial she grabbed on her way out will help?" Severus asks skeptically, unsure how to approach Alexis' sudden, and yet oddly normal anymore, change in behavior.

"Knock-out potion mixed with an emotion suppressant."

"Why am I not surprised that she can properly brew something that volatile?"

--

Alexis aims another stunning spell at a horde of blue-capped snow gnomes. She ignores her daughter's shouts to calm down until said girl stands in front of said Witch, her mother's wand pointed directly between her eyes. Alexis sighs in defeat and gets tackled to the ground when she refuses to lower her wand. Alexis drops her wand in the process and ends up in a wrestling match with her daughter, a manic glimmer in her eyes.

Alexandra finally manages to dump the contents of the phial she had picked up on her way out down her mother's throat. Alexis promptly stills and Alexandra retrieves her mother's fallen wand from the snow.

"_Mobilicorpus_," Alexandra mutters and levitates Alexis inside through the kitchen and onto the living room couch she had been placed on earlier by Pomona with Alexis' wand.

--

Alexandra and her grandfather are out doing their Christmas shopping while Pomona watches over a still unconscious Alexis. Professor Snape had bought his supplies and helped lock up the store after the Nocturn Alley side had been fully repaired. Alexandra and Pomona had invited him to spend Christmas day with them, not at all concerned about how much Alexis is going to protest when she finds out seeing as Mr. Ollivander had happily agreed to it.

"Who do we have left to shop for, grandpa?" Alexandra asks as they leave one of the stores in Diagon Alley.

"The only one left on my list is Severus," Ollivander says as they walk two blocks down the road and into _Ollivander's_ wand shop to add the new purchases to the pile that's already hidden there.

"I don't think Professor Snape expects, let alone wants, anything from us though. And besides that, what would we get him anyway?"

"You can call him by his given name outside of Hogwarts, you know. And that's exactly _why_ we're getting him something," the twinkle in her grandfather's eyes makes Alexandra nervous. "What would you want if you were a Potion Master stuck teaching teenagers for most of the year?"

"I'd take a year supply of extra-strength Calming Draught personally," Alexandra mutters. "Let's just window shop until we find something."

--

Two hours later, Alexandra and her grandfather are sneaking back into the house with presents for Alexis, Pomona, and each other. They hadn't been able to agree on anything for Professor Snape. They sneak back out of the side door after Ollivander places a Bedazzling Hexes on all of the presents once they're safely placed under the Christmas tree without breaking a single ornament. Alexandra and her grandfather agree to find something for the bitter Potion Master even if it takes until Christmas morning. So long as they're back in time for dinner in an hour, that is, or else Pomona would kill them, literally.

"Grandpa, quick," Alexandra hisses as they reenter the house exactly an hour later, not exactly thrilled over her grandfather's taste in gifts.

"Shush," Ollivander hisses back as he uses a Bedazzling Hex on the present in question. "That's all my presents."

"About time you two got back," Alexis snaps from the kitchen. "Dinner'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Yes ma'am," Alexandra and her grandfather roll their eyes.

Alexandra tends to the fire in the fireplace by hand whilst her grandfather sets the table with a few waves of his wand.


	15. Christmas Day

Author's Note: this is posted in my bio but I'm repeating it here: in the title, 'Potion Master' is being used to refer to Alexis. My rant- reasoning for this is in my bio as well. On a better note, this is the longest part so far. Enjoy.

Warning: mild violent spell casting in this chapter and the next.

15- Christmas Day

Christmas morning dawns bright and early. Pomona and Ollivander distract Alexis for a few moments so that Alexandra can spike her mother's morning coffee with a phial of Emotion Suppressant. Merlin knew they would need her as emotionally detached as possible today.

"Here's your coffee, mum," Alexandra smiles. "Is it alright if I go to muggle London to finish off my shopping quick?"

"Go on," Alexis sighs, knowing that Alexandra would go anyway. "Just make sure you stop at _Gringotts_ first."

Alexandra rolls her eyes as she leaves the house and sprints to _Gringotts_, her muggle clothing making her stand out a bit. Ten minutes later Alexandra is entering the Leaky Cauldron, a pleased and very Slytherin smirk on her face. She had just seen Professor Snape Apparate into Diagon Alley and knock on the door of her house. Alexandra walks along a street in muggle London until she finds the bookstore she's looking for. She leaves the store with a few packages and crosses the street to a jewelry store.

"Three down, four to go," Alexandra muses as she leaves the store and continues walking, keeping the Leaky Cauldron in sight at all times.

--

An hour later after sneaking into the store and then back out- she thanks Merlin the wards don't go off for either her or her mother-, Alexandra leaves the Owl-post office. She had sent Hermione a butterfly hairclip, Harry, Ron, and the twins each a set of muggle magic tricks she couldn't understand the point of, and, out of pure Slytherin compassion and the need for a good laugh- for the entire student body come to think of it-, Draco a bottle of neon purple hair dye that looked like an expensive brand of muggle shampoo. If Alexandra had learned anything about the blond's personality, it was that he always had to have the best.

Smiling to herself as she returns home, Alexandra is very surprised that she can't see any holes in the walls in the house from outside although she's not surprised at all by the damage done to the plain wooden fence surrounding the back yard.

"No one's dead, right?" Alexandra asks aloud as she adds four presents to the small pile visible under the tree. Something is not right at all, she reasons as she surveys the only moderately damaged living room while warming herself by the fire. "Mum? Grandpa? Auntie Pomona? Professor? Is anyone here?"

--

"Why in Godric's name is someone at our house on Christmas morning?" Alexis snaps, storming out of the kitchen to answer the door.

"Alex couldn't have put the wrong potion in the coffee-" Pomona stops mid-sentence, the maniacal look in Mr. Ollivander's eyes terrifying her. "You had her switch the potion?! Are you insane?!"

"Not insane at all, Pomona," Ollivander chuckles gleefully. "I just thought I'd spice things up a bit this Christmas by switching the phials. Alexandra has no part in this except for being my little helper elf."

"Lexi is going to kill you, you know that, right?" Pomona shakes her head and sighs. How Alexis and Alexandra are actually descended from the crazed wand maker still puzzles her sometimes.

--

Meanwhile, Alexis had stormed out of the kitchen and through the living room to the side/front door of her house. Any comment or hex she had planned for the occasional group of Christmas carolers dies on her lips only to be replaced by a string of swear words, insults, jinxes, hexes, and curses. The nicest of these is a simple Bat Bogey Hex, some of the rest bordering on being Dark.

"What are _you_ doing here, _Snape_?"

"I happen to have been _invited_ here for the day by Pomona and your family," Severus smirks at Alexis' scowling face.

Alexis swears a bit under her breath but steps out of the doorway to allow Severus inside her house just as her grandfather and Pomona enter the room.

"You two are dead for this," Alexis snarls as she returns to the kitchen to make herself fresh cup of very strong coffee.

"What in Salazar's name, pray tell, possessed the two of you and the younger Ms. Ollivander to invite me here _today_ of all days?" Severus questions as he leaves his winter traveling cloak on one of the empty hooks near the door. He surveys the large room quickly, the pictures missing from the steel blue walls catching his interest but he decides against mentioning it. "Pomona, you of all people should know that I am not the most pleasant person to be around on this holiday."

"That _is_ a good question, Snape," Alexis begrudgingly agrees as she sits in one of the two armchairs by the coffee table. "Care to give us an answer, father? Pomona?"

"Alexandra," Pomona shrugs as she sits across from her best friend, using the coffee table as a sort of defensive wall while ignoring Severus' comment. "I asked her why after you left, Severus. She said it only seemed fair considering how much you had helped out the past two days. Don't you agree, Lexi?"

Alexis nods in agreement, proud, definitely not happy about it all, but still proud of her daughter's decision. Alexis had taught the girl to be a Gryffindor after all, despite her Slytherin personality.

"Sometimes I think that girl of yours should be in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin, Alexis," Severus voices Alexis' thoughts.

"Snape? Thinking? Well thank Merlin! It's a Christmas miracle!"

"Can't you put the past aside for one day, Alexis?" Severus sighs, trying to keep his temper in check and the anger from his voice.

"When Alex gets back, I will. Until then, all's fair in love and _war_, Death Eater."

"As you wish, snake charmer," Severus sneers back.

Pomona and Ollivander jump off of one of the couches and dive behind it the moment Alexis and Severus raise their wands.

"Don't hit us or the tree!" Ollivander yells as a curse of some sort misses someone and scorches a wall, an urgent tone in his voice. "Pomona!"

Pomona nods quickly and helps Ollivander cast the Impervious spell on anything of value, themselves and the feuding Witch and Wizard included.

--

"I thought they'd never stop," Ollivander sighs an hour later.

"And here I thought you wanted to 'spice things up a bit'," an equally relieved Pomona snaps.

Alexis and Severus had both collapsed from exhaustion. They had stopped just short of using the Unforgivables on one another thankfully but they had blasted away most of the snow in the back yard. The back of the house has some burn marks on it but the fence around the yard looks quite literally like Swiss cheese.

"Let's get them inside already. Alex should be home by now," Pomona sighs as she and Ollivander levitate the two inside, Alexis to her armchair and Severus to one of the couches. "They're alive."

"That's a relief," Alexandra smiles from by the fireplace, having just quickly searched the basement and her mother's private lab for bodies. "Why do they fight so much? And please don't say that mum'll explain it eventually because I've already asked her and she refuses to tell me until I graduate from Hogwarts."

"It's your mum's place to explain, not ours," Ollivander states as he claims the other armchair.

Alexandra shakes her head in annoyance and goes into the kitchen to help Pomona make breakfast for everyone.

--

Most of the day for everyone is spent dodging curses and hexes from Alexis and Severus although the two do make an effort to be decently civil in front of Alexandra- Alexis trying to set an example as a parent and Severus as a teacher, both claiming that the girl is still an impressionable young child. Alexandra pointedly ignored those comments. Everyone had agreed during breakfast to open presents after lunch for a change in the hope of there being fewer fights. As a safety precaution, though, Pomona takes everyone's wands and gives them to Alexandra to guard. Said young Witch places the wands on the mantle over the fireplace, behind the wards that Alexis had quite foolishly placed there to only allow Alexandra to set things on or remove things from the mantle. It's a little known fact throughout the Wizarding World that Ollivander is a right pain in the neck during the Christmas season. Pomona, Alexis, and Alexandra look at each other and shake their heads, silently agreeing that Severus is on his own.

Ollivander's face lights up with glee as he sprints over to the Christmas tree, rifling through the pile of presents while countering the Bedazzling Hex on said presents as soon as he gets there. The overly energetic and excited old man brings over a present for each person along with all of his own. The three Witches instinctively duck behind the armchairs and the other couch, leaving a puzzled Severus to be pelted by flying wads of wrapping paper.

Sadly for Severus, Alexandra is a Slytherin at heart who was raised by a Gryffindor, both of whom love a good laugh at someone else's expense no less. Alexandra quickly retrieves the family camera from the mantle over the fireplace and snaps a string of photos of her poor Potion Master trying to get the Bicorn Glue covered neon orange wrapping paper off of him.

"I had better not see those pictures around Hogwarts, Ms. Ollivander," Severus scowls at the girl as he pulls the remaining paper out of his hair.

"Get Professor Quirrell sacked and you won't," Alexandra sneers back, the tone of her voice clearly suggesting blackmail. "Otherwise, I can't promise anything."

"Give me that camera," Severus snarls at a snickering Alexandra. Severus trips over the coffee table and wrapping paper stuck to his legs, crashing headfirst into said coffee table. "Ollivander!"

"Yes, Professor?" Alexandra asks coyly from behind her flashing camera. "I do love blackmail, don't you? I think it's something we Slytherins are naturals at."

Alexis shakes her head sadly as she watches the normal holiday fiasco become even crazier with an extra person present. Snape trips over his own feet again as he tries to chase Alexandra around the living room for the camera. Alexis barely suppresses a fit of laughter when a wandless stunning spell from her father sends Snape crashing back into the empty armchair after he trips over Ollivander's new model train set from Alexandra. The combined force of the spell and Snape crashing into it flips the armchair over; leaving Snape sprawled out on his back on the unfortunately placed plush area rug.

Alexandra and Pomona sigh and try to restore order so that no more disasters can unfold when they resume opening presents. Alexandra gets a pain-killing potion from the back room of the store while Pomona revitalizes Snape with a spell after righting the armchair and Alexis scolds her father for his child-like obsession with children's toys, both muggle and magical.

"Stop snickering," Severus snaps as both of the Ollivander women- he can't call Alexis a girl when she is the same age as he, he would get cursed into next year for it- and Pomona, a powder blue cold compress held against the back of his head.

"Sorry, Professor," Alexandra says as she brings the rest of the presents over. "Now that grandpa's asleep on the couch, we can open our gifts in relative safety."

"Don't ask, Severus. Something always seems to go wrong. I think we're safe enough though now. After last night and so far today," Pomona sighs as she unwraps one of her presents, a gardening book from Alexandra. "Thank you, Alex."

"Welcome," Alexandra chirps as Alexis unwraps a stationary set with red and gold swirls on the top and bottom of each sheet of parchment. "Like it, mum?"

Alexis nods and hugs her daughter in thanks before opening the rest of her gifts. There is a new potion magazine from her father, a large box of hand-grown plants that can be used as potion ingredients from Pomona, and a small red and gold amulet from Snape that is layered with a single magical element, Forgiveness. The magical signature from the amulet is weak but is definitely Snape's, suggesting that it had been made years ago. From around the time- Alexis shakes her head to clear her mind, she's not about to dwell on the past right now.

"Thank you, Sn- Severus," Alexis thanks the Wizard, a warning glare from her daughter making her use his given name. Alexis meets Snape's gaze and answers his unasked question by moving her eyes from side to side and giving him a look that says she'll discuss the subject later.

Severus nods slightly in response before looking at the gifts Alexandra had handed him. He hadn't expected anything from any of them because he is a guest in their house. Severus, in spite of his sultry demeanor, still had manners though and had gotten gifts for his hosts out of _courtesy_.

"Go on, Professor. Open them," Alexandra urges, the mischievous gleam in her eyes contrasting the smile on her face, although that smile might be considered a smirk if one looked close enough.

Alexis reluctantly nods her encouragement as well, her mind elsewhere at the moment. Pomona had dozed off reading through her new book while Alexis was opening her presents.

Severus nods and unwraps the first gift; a head-ache potion from Pomona that either Alexis or Alexandra had custom brewed for him, judging by the clever tag on the phial: '_Extra-strength for professors whose students enjoy nearly destroying a classroom at least once a week._'

"I told you it would be fitting," Alexandra smirks at her now scowling mother. "We made a bet that what I wrote on the tag would get you to crack a half smile and I won. Thank you, Professor."

"You're welcome I suppose. And all three of you have my gratitude for this little phial," Severus smirks as Alexis hands her daughter five Galleons before continuing to open his gifts. He unwraps a new set of dark green quills from Alexandra and a self-updating book called _Curse Marks throughout the Ages: Their Effects and Possible Negations_ from Alexis. Despite his better judgment telling him to keep his mouth shut, Severus turns to said Witch and asks, "Alexis, how, pray tell, were you able to purchase a gift for me when you were unaware of my visit until I arrived?"

Alexandra rolls her eyes and braces for the worst as her mother's features darken, a scowl marring her normally smiling face.

"I didn't," Alexis snaps. "That book has been sitting in the attic gathering dust. All I did was change the wrapping paper and recast the preservation charm. You would've gotten the damn tome_ years_ ago but you were too busy _fawning_ over Voldemort to care about the people who were _supposed_ to be _important_ to you!"

"Don't ask me," Alexandra shrugs once she has given Alexis her wand back and the Witch has stormed upstairs to blow up part of her room. "She never says much about before I was born. Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes, I am quite alright, Ms. Oll- Alexandra," Severus catches himself when the girl snatches her hand from his shoulder, a glaring look in her eyes. His voice had been harsher than acceptable due to his shock at Alexis' outburst. He cannot, for the life of him, understand why the woman is still holding a grudge against him after all these years. It wasn't his fault he had been called on 

the day he was supposed to be spending with the two people he cared- cares, damn it! One may be dead but her spirit is still alive as far as he is concerned- about more than life itself.

"Open your gift from grandpa. It'll make you feel better," Alexandra, seeing the pensive look on the man's face, pushes a large box towards him.

The girl really _is_ too observant, Severus muses to himself as he opens the gift. The wand maker must have a death wish. He had gotten Severus a _child's_ potion brewing set.

"I was not aware of the wand maker's _insanity_," Severus chooses his words carefully, trying to hide his mortification at the gift.

Alexandra laughs lightly at the predicament she knows her professor is in. She had seen his eyebrow twitch and tell he isn't sure what to say.

"Don't mind him," Alexandra waves a hand at her slumbering grandfather dismissively, a cheeky smile on her face. "He did the same thing to me and mum last year. Auntie Pomona swears he had a death wish back then too. We almost turned him into a potion ingredient that day but she stopped us."

"So he _is_ insane then?"

"Only if you know him. Otherwise, he's just overly eccentric according to some of the customers from his store," Alexandra says, motioning to the model of the Hogwarts Express in her sleeping grandfather's arms.

Severus shakes his head in disbelief. Alexis and her father are worse than he remembers but he is glad- though he'd never admit it aloud- that Pomona had kept Alexandra from taking after them too much. The Herbology Master had kept the girl from the insanity of her family.

"Aren't you going to open your gifts?" Severus asks out of curiosity, wondering why the girl hadn't done so already.

Alexandra nods and opens the presents in front of her, throwing the wrapping paper into the fireplace to burn in the process. She receives the same potion magazine from her grandfather that her mother had gotten from him, a new set of school robes from Pomona, and a book on some of the more ancient and obscure potions of the Wizarding world.

"Thank you so much, Professor Snape," Alexandra's eyes light up as she skims through the book, despite the fact that her Latin skills are barely passable. "Flourish and Blott's hasn't had a copy of this in stock for ages."

"You're welcome. Just be careful with it. A book like that could be dangerous in the wrong hands," Severus warns, surprised that Alexandra had slipped the book under a loose floorboard near the fireplace at the word 'careful'. "What, pray tell, are we to do now?"

"Let them sleep," Alexandra answers nonchalantly. "Mum'll be fine by dinner. I've got no idea why she's worse than normal today. I think it has something to do with grandpa sneaking around in the kitchen this morning. He might've switched the emotion suppressant we normally sneak into mum's morning coffee on holidays with an emotion enhancer, if I know him."

"Your mother taught you well if you can slip a potion past her," Severus comments, ignoring the second half of the girl's answers. Alexis' temper had apparently only worsened with age, not unlike his own.

"She has. Scentless and tasteless potions aren't that difficult to brew," Alexandra smirks as she tosses the last of the wrapping paper into the fire. "Anyway, seeing as you're the only other person that's either awake or calm and that you're a guest…"

Severus watches Alexandra apprehensively as she disappears into the kitchen. The mocking gleam that the girl had had in her eyes and the nearly mischievous tone in her voice had unnerved Severus a bit. He eyes Alexandra warily when she emerges from the kitchen wearing a plain white apron and carrying another.

"You get to help with a family tradition," the girl is truly frightening Severus now. "Making Christmas dinner the muggle way."

"What in Salazar's name, pray tell," Severus adds his trademark phrase in an attempt to save his dignity, "possessed a Witch as talented as your mother and a Wizard life your grandfather to come up with such a _ludicrous_ tradition?" Severus grumbles as he ties the apron around his waist. He can't help but plan ways to make one of his favored Slytherins suffer if she posts _any_ of the pictures from today at Hogwarts. Severus' reputation as the stern and stoic dungeon bat would be shot if that happened.

"That's simple. I'm still an underage Witch. I'm only allowed to use magic in the store so I can help mum. Blackmail and bribery go a long way. Said she learned the trick from some Slytherin she went to Hogwarts with; went into one of her fits afterwards though."

Severus nods in understanding but pales when he realizes he's just walked into a trap. He deserves to be humiliated for momentarily forgetting that he's dealing with one of his own snakes. Even more so, Severus reasons as Alexandra takes various things out of the cabinets and a large steel grey refrigerator, because it had slipped his mind that this particular snake had been raised by a lioness that _still_ holds a grudge against him from nearly twelve years ago. On a slightly better note, for once in his life, Severus is somewhat thankful to have had a muggle father despite the fact that Severus hasn't cooked or done anything similar to it without magic since he came of age fourteen years ago. Said Wizard curses to himself, hoping that he can remember what to do without having to be instructed by an eleven year old.


End file.
